Stars & Sweets - A Public Night Sky Event

The National Park Service invites everyone to visit the park on the evening of July 5 for a special night sky viewing event, Stars and Sweets.

The event runs from 7 p.m. to 11:45 p.m. and includes special ranger programs, cultural performances from local pueblo communities, telescope viewing guided by local astronomy clubs, and pastries and night sky items for sale.

“As an International Dark Sky Park, Valles Caldera has some of the best dark skies in the region,” said Superintendent Jorge Silva-Bañuelos. “We continue to explore ways to provide opportunities for visitors to safely experience this magnificent resource. This year, besides our periodic ranger-led night sky programs, we are excited to offer this event that is open to all.”

The park will reopen the gates starting at 7 p.m. The gates will be open until 11:45 p.m., though we ask visitors to arrive by 9 p.m. to minimize bright lights and maximize the enjoyment of the night sky. All event activities will take place near the Entrance Station. Parking is limited, so we recommend carpooling as much as possible. As this event takes place at night, we recommend bringing red lights to aid in navigating the event area.

The event is weather-dependent, so please watch the event listing (https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/event-details.htm?id=13C8B6F6-D002-0C2E-7C80B26AD9BC8E00) for any updates.

Find out more about other night sky events at https://www.nps.gov/vall/planyourvisit/ranger-led-activities.htm

When

Location

Valles Caldera National Preserve, 39201 NM-4, 87025, View Map